One of the things that attendees love about MADWorld is that it’s a real melting pot for ideas and inspiration. The silos that sometimes exist within organisations, make it difficult to get buy-in across the board. But there are no silos at MADWorld. The Summit attracts attendees with a range of job titles and it’s a great opportunity to get different perspectives.
The roundtables have always been a popular feature of the MADWorld event. They give attendees the opportunity to dive deeper into specific topics and share knowledge in real-time with like-minded peers from an array of different sectors.
Delegates who register for the main event can sign up for the two roundtables they would like to attend when they arrive at the Summit. Spaces are allocated on a first come basis. This year, we’ve expanded this section of the event, with 20 roundtables to make it easier to network, share ideas and experiences.
We’ve already profiled some of the roundtables here, here and here.
Here’s an overview of what to expect from the others:
Collaborating across departments to grow grassroots initiatives and achieve C-suite support
We hear time and again how important it is to have C-suite support for mental health and wellbeing initiatives in order for them to be sustainable. But this is often easier said than done. Join this roundtable to share thoughts around:
- How to encourage grassroots initiatives and build momentum across departments
- Approaches to getting the C-suite on board and building credibility around the mental health and wellbeing agenda with them
This roundtable will be facilitated by Jonny Jacobs,Director Commercial Finance EMEA, Starbucks and Donald MacRae, HR Director EMEA, Starbucks
Fostering mental wellbeing in a fast-paced work environment
With the pandemic blurring lines between work and life, and reports suggesting that many are working longer hours to keep up with workloads, there’s increasing recognition that mental health and wellbeing need to be prioritised to head off burnout. But this is often easier said than done. Join this roundtable to share thoughts around:
- How you keep mental health and wellbeing front and centre in a fast-moving, ambitious work environment
- How you get leaders on board and build credibility with them to ensure mental wellbeing is embedded as a priority
This roundtable will be facilitated by Yu-Lin Gardner, Head of Reward, Deliveroo.
Meeting the increasing demand for personalised approaches to mental health and wellbeing support
The factors that influence our mental wellbeing are multi-faceted and ever-changing. Everyone responds to life’s events in their own unique ways. One team member might consistently clock eight hours’ sleep a night, while the other sometimes struggles to get two. One might be battling with the realities of first-time parenting, while another is under persistent stress balancing the demands of work with the needs of an elderly, single parent. Covid has further highlighted the need for personalisation – with everyone experiencing the pandemic in different ways. And in our potentially complex hybrid world of work, a personalised approach is more important than ever. Join this roundtable to share ideas around:
- How segmentation can be used to personalise support
- The pros and cons of other approaches to meeting the increasing demand for personalisation
This roundtable will be facilitated by Nikki Kirbell, UK & I Health & Wellbeing Manager, Global Health – UK & Ireland, Unilever
How to support mental health right across the evolving employee experience
In the fast-evolving world of work, employees are facing new and sometimes unmanageable challenges. According to Microsoft’s 2021 Work Trend Index, 41% of people are likely to consider leaving their jobs in what’s been dubbed “the great resignation”. Employers clearly need to rethink how they can support employee wellbeing from attraction through to engagement, development and retention. Join this roundtable to share ideas around:
- How the pandemic has uprooted the employee experience – and the challenges and opportunities presented.
- How digital mental health tools can support the most critical touchpoints in the employee experience, helping to head off burnout as well as attract, engage and retain talent.
This roundtable will be facilitated by Kate Jones, Mental Health Tech Specialist, Unmind
The real mental health impact of fertility and menopause in the workplace
One in six couples experience fertility issues and menopausal women are the fastest growing workplace demographic. These are challenges which therefore affect a significant proportion of our working population. 90% of people experiencing infertility have reported feeling depressed and 9 out of 10 menopausal women experience brain fog or anxiety, according to a recent Fertifa survey.
Join this roundtable to find out more about the link between reproductive health and mental health and understand:
- How mental health is impacted by infertility and menopause
- How employers can benefit from offering support
- How to approach difficult conversations on these sensitive topics
- What practical steps can be taken to make the workplace more open and supportive
Fertifa will also be revealing exclusive headline data from a brand new workplace fertility survey, not due for public release until November.
This roundtable will be facilitated by Hema Wara, HR & Client Services Director, Fertifa and Hortense Thorpe, Procurement Business Partner, Centrica
Social wellbeing in the hybrid world of work
As employers around the world grapple with what work should look like in the aftermath of the pandemic, it’s likely that a significant number of people will continue to work at least in part from home as part of a flexible, hybrid model. But combining home and office working can be a challenge. Employees and employers each have important roles to play to ease the transitions, find ways to be effective, and ensure mental health and wellbeing are proactively supported in a rapidly evolving work environment. Join this roundtable to:
- Share ideas around how to maintain team cohesion and creativity as well and tackle feelings of loneliness when team members are dispersed.
- Consider how to find the balance between an individual and an employer’s responsibility for social wellbeing
This roundtable will be facilitated by Jilly Calder, VP HR, UK & Europe, Atkins SNC Lavalin
The why and how of building emotional intelligence into hybrid working
For hybrid working to be successful, flexibility is essential and a key skill for the future is our ability to adapt. However, the pandemic has stretched even the most adaptable to their limits. Our ability to adapt and be flexible starts with developing emotional self-awareness. Join this roundtable to share ideas and learnings, including:
- To what extent, should improving stress tolerance be tackled systemically or at the level of individual employees?
- How can we re-imagine and accelerate individual and team performance in a world with less in person contact with colleagues?
This roundtable will be facilitated by Catherine de la Poer, Founder, Halcyon & Marie Helson, People Director, Hello Fresh
Mental health: the next frontier in diversity, equality and inclusion
Intersectionality and inclusivity increasingly feature as a focal point in discussions about workplace mental health and wellbeing. But many employers are struggling to create a joined-up approach that speaks to individual needs without singling people out. Join this roundtable to share open conversations around:
- What a workplace mental health and wellbeing strategy looks like when it’s built around inclusivity
- Overcoming friction between leaders in different departments so that D&I and wellbeing work seamlessly together
- How we broach wellbeing conversations with colleagues from minority communities in a really confident, practical way
This roundtable will be facilitated by Jo Yarker, Director, Affinity Health at Work
Creating safe spaces for Trans colleagues
Have you ever wondered how you can be more inclusive of the Trans experience in your workplace? Are you an ally who wants to make sure you’re being as supportive as possible? Or, perhaps you want a better understanding of the Trans community and how you can create a psychologically safe work environment for Trans colleagues? Join this roundtable to:
- Gain top tips on how to be a trans ally
- Get answers to all of your questions – no holds barred
- Understand how you need to adapt your approach to support the mental health and wellbeing of trans colleagues
This roundtable will be facilitated by Katie Neeves, Trans Ambassador and Founder, Cool2BTrans
Supporting colleagues with Long COVID
At least two million people in the UK have experienced ongoing debilitating symptoms of physical and mental ill-health following COVID-19 infection, known as ‘Long COVID’[1]. Furthermore, the long recuperation, prolonged absence and as yet uncertain prognosis of Long COVID mean pre-pandemic sickness absence policies are no longer fit for purpose. 5% of people with Long COVID have already been forced out of their jobs[2]. With this in mind, is your workplace prepared to support people with Long COVID? Join this roundtable to share thoughts around:
- What needs to be discussed with managers if team members are off work for a longer period with symptoms of Long COVID
- What the managers’ responsibilities are
- What medical clearances or adjustments may be needed to enable a return to work.
This roundtable will be facilitated by Nick Pahl, CEO, Society of Occupational Medicine
The human cost of conflict at work and what this means for mental health
Acas has found that conflict at work costs the UK £28.5 billion a year, which equates to £1000 for every employee. The read-across from conflict to mental wellbeing is huge. CIPD survey data shows that 56% of employees report stress, anxiety and/or depression as a result of conflict, and the mental health impact of the pandemic has made managing conflict more important than ever. Join this roundtable to share ideas around:
- How different sources of conflict can impact mental wellbeing in the workplace
- What managers can do to reduce conflict and promote positive wellbeing at work
This roundtable will be facilitated by Maria Shinn, Director, Acas East of England
Self-harm in the workplace
Self-harm, sometimes referred to as self-injury, is more common than one might think. 10% of children under the age of 16 will self-harm at some point (with first incident often taking place at around 12 years old), and approximately 17% of people aged over 16 will have self-harmed at least once during their lifetime. Self-harm is largely hidden, but this isn’t to say that you won’t encounter someone who has injured themselves during your career. Join this roundtable to:
- Get a better understanding of what self-harm is and what it isn’t
- Understand how to safely support colleagues who self-harm
- Share your experiences of best practice in the workplace, and learn what you can do to help someone who is self-harming
You can see the full list of all 20 roundtables here.
The MAD World Summit is on Thursday 21st October, in-person at 133 Houndsditch in Central London. The Summit is the go-to event for employers who want to Make A Difference to workplace culture, mental health and wellbeing.
There are 3 ways to attend – either with a Full Pass which includes the keynotes, case studies, roundtables and refreshments, a Free Pass for the workshops and exhibition, or a post-event Digital Pass. For more information visit the event agenda or to book visit the booking page.
